A CULTURE shift is required in the attitude of Westminster ministers and civil servants towards Welsh devolution, MPs were told yesterday.

Former top civil servant in the Assembly Government Sir Jon Shortridge said devolution was rarely discussed at top-level meetings of Permanent Secretaries from Whitehall.

“It’s always been the case that Whitehall focus has been on Scotland more than Wales,” he told the Welsh affairs select committee.

“I was never going to change the fact that for ministers and media and therefore senior civil servants, their focus was much more on Scotland than Wales.”

Former First Minister Rhodri Morgan said: “Scotland has always been regarded as another country. If they do something different from England it’s not a problem. Wales is seen as the last colony in the Empire.”

Whitehall ministers had to learn to allow power to transfer to Cardiff even if they didn't approve of the legislation it could be used for, he said.

Sir Jon revealed irritation and anger in WAG when press releases would be issued from Whitehall without making it clear the policy applied to England only.

The strategy document Building Britain’s Future, launched by the prime minister, contained ‘a fair chunk about building England’s future but if you were an ordinary member of the public would you necessarily realise that?’ he said.

“You just have to have sufficient trust and understanding on both sides.

“It’s built into certain civil servants’ DNA that they have to be cautious about what they say to each other, and that is amplified when they realise they’re talking to people of a different jurisdiction.”

The ex-permanent secretary, who retired in May 2008, predicted that the role of the Wales Office would ‘wither away’ as devolution grows.

The exception was the Wales Office handling the legislative competence orders which transfer powers to Cardiff.

But he argued that the Assembly should make its submissions directly to Parliament rather than to the UK Government.

Senior civil servants would increasingly develop relationships directly with Whitehall departments without the need for the Wales Office.

But he said experts on devolution were needed in each Whitehall departments.